


24 Hours

by valenlimes



Series: The Colour of Love [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, implied mental health issues, jaemin is a shitty cook, jeno is a doctor, norenmin, renmin are just trying to do something nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 14:23:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15709005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valenlimes/pseuds/valenlimes
Summary: Birthday's aren't an option when you are fresh out of med school and your job treats you like dirt





	24 Hours

**Author's Note:**

> So this was meant to be for Jaemin's birthday but somehow it ended up being Jeno centric and late.  
> Oh well.
> 
> This was written in like an hour and it isn't edited but I was bored in class and wanted to write so enjoy this little drabble if you can even call it that

It had been a long day at the hospital and Jeno was completely dead. He had been on his feet for 12 hours straight and he had seen enough people throwing up to last a lifetime. There was an outbreak of gastro going around the city and wave after waves of ill people were coming in to be treated. The hospital ward had become a quarantine station, meaning long hours in a hospital hazmat suit.  
He loved his job, he really did, but when he entered his profession he had no idea how tiring it could be. 

The bus rumbled beneath him as it pulled away from the curb. He looked down at his phone. 11:23 at night. There were some notifications on the screen – mostly just some missed calls from his parents and a few texts wishing him a happy birthday.

Oh yeah, it was his birthday. It wasn’t the first time he had to work on an important day. New Year’s Eve last year was spent stitching up someone’s forehead from where they had gotten into a drunken car crash.

Renjun had nearly cried when he announced that he had to work on his birthday. Jaemin had stood up and declared “that’s bullshit!” He was always the more stubborn of the trio.  
It was disappointing, yes. Renjun and Jaemin had planned to take him out to his favourite restaurant in celebration of his special day, and Renjun had called months in advance to book a reservation.

Jeno had tried to calm them down, assuring them it was so bad. “I will be fine, we can do something another day.” 

“But Jeno,” Jaemin whined, “you always have to work. It’s not fair.”

Jeno sighed, the medical system was messed up. Kids like him, fresh out of medical school, always got treated like foot slaves. They were given the worst shifts, made to clean up the vomit while the senior doctor just walked away. It was a hierarchy, yes, and Jeno knew he would get to be the one walking away eventually, but it still sucked. 

“I know Nana,” he forced a smile, “but it will be better eventually.” 

“But you worked so hard and they treat you like shit.” Renjun had come over to wrap his arms around Jeno’s midsection, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw. Both Renjun and Jaemin had dealt with enough of Jeno’s stress-induced breakdowns throughout the entirety of his university course. They didn’t need to witness another one now that he had finally entered the workforce. 

Jeno sighed and leant his head against the window of the bus. His teeth rattled in his skull along with the movement of the vehicle, but he didn’t care too much. The exhaustion overpowered the discomfort.  
It had rained at some point, and Jeno watched as the tiny rivulets of water snaked down the window, transforming the neon lights of storefronts into blurry watercolour washes. 

The bus journey took around an hour overall. Jeno was alone on the bus by the time he had to get off. He nodded to the bus driver, tapping his bus pass as he exited. Water splashed onto his blue scrubs as the bus drove away from the curb, leaving dark spots on the material. 

As he approached the tiny building he called home, Jeno could see that a light was on in the kitchen of his apartment. It was probably Renjun, stress cleaning the entire house. Jeno knew that when Renjun was upset, he liked to clean in order to feel like he was in control of something. That’s what the psychiatrist said anyways.  
Jaemin was the opposite. He was one to let everything pile up around him until he was swimming in dirt and unresolved feelings.  
Their relationship was a strange one, the story of how they met was even stranger, but they made it work.

He turned his keys in the lock, the cat keychain that Renjun had bought him jingling. From inside the little apartment, he could just make out Jaemin letting out a stream of swear words. A piercing streak ripped through the thin door. Jeno opened the door and ran down the hallway, hands covering his ears.  
The smoke alarm had been set off and there was a dark grey cloud billowing out from the kitchen. Jaemin emerged, soot on his face and coughing. Renjun ran past wielding a fire extinguisher. There was a loud hiss and the smoke began to subside.

“Jaemin! I told you not to touch anything!” Renjun cried, swatting his boyfriend with a tea towel. 

“Hey! I was just trying to help! The cake was taking forever and Jeno is going to be home any second.” Jaemin threw his hands up in the air in anger. In the midst of their argument, they hadn’t noticed Jeno standing in the doorway. 

“Well some good it did us! You caught the cake on FIRE for god’s sake!” Renjun began fanning the fire alarm to get it to turn off, dispersing the smoke. 

“How was I supposed to know that the oven shouldn’t be turned up past 300 degrees! It’s not like there is a warning on the oven!” Jaemin dashed over to the window and opened it. 

“You’ve ruined everything Jaemin, Jeno already has to work on his birthday and now we can’t even give him anything nice when he gets home.” Renjun’s bottom lip wobbled but his voice was getting louder by the second. 

“I know Renjun! I know, trust me! you think I want to make him upset?! He has to deal with so much already, and not to mention he already basically pays for everything around here with that god-awful job of his!”

“Don’t say that! You know he supports us no matter what!”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad about it.” Jaemin flopped onto the threadbare couch, covering his face with his hands. 

“But you shouldn’t.” Jeno stepped forward. “I chose to become a doctor because I love it, not so I could support you two.”

Renjun screamed slightly and Jaemin whipped his head around in shock. “Jeno! how long have you been standing there!” 

“Long enough to catch you setting the kitchen on fire.” Jeno teased. 

Jaemin groaned. “I was trying to help.” 

Jeno laughed. “This is why you should leave the cooking to Renjun and me, Nana.”

“I am sorry you had to see that, we wanted to make something special for your birthday.” Renjun lead him over to see the blackened husk that used to be a cake. 

Jeno’s heart swelled. “It’s okay. I love that you tried.” He wrapped an arm around the older’s slender waist and pressed a kiss onto his silky hair. 

Jaemin came up behind and back-hugged his two boyfriends. He smelt strongly of smoke. “I am sorry too, for being a pathetic cook.” 

They all laughed. “Jaemin, I am sorry for getting mad at you.” Renjun looked down at his feet, ashamed. “I know we all promised never to fight but I was just so stressed and worried about Jeno and I kinda just snapped.”

“I forgive you Junnie.” 

They smiled, arms tangled as they stared at the depressing cake. 

“I will get to work cleaning.” Renjun detached himself, reaching for a dishcloth. 

“No, no, no, we will all clean.” Jeno grinned at Renjun’s incredulous look.

“But it’s your birthday babe! We should be looking after you!” Jaemin tried to shove him out of the kitchen. 

“Nu-uh. We are all going to clean this mess up and then order pizza.” 

Renjun and Jaemin contemplated for a moment. “Sounds good.” “Sure, why not.”

An hour later the trio was tangled up on the couch, grappling for the last slice of pizza. Jeno won. The others sighed dejectedly. 

Jeno smiled and bit down on the slice. Leaning back, he rested his head on Renjun’s chest and put his feet over Jaemin’s lap. “Thank you, guys. This is probably my best and worst birthday yet.” 

“Your welcome babe.” Jaemin smiled warmly and Renjun kissed the top of his head.  
Cuddling was the best way to end a long day, in Jeno’s opinion.


End file.
